Take These Broken Wings
by WhaleTheFatDolphin
Summary: Trust is like a mirror; it can never be the same once it's broken. Squad Levi antagonizes most foreign threats - threats that stretch beyond the walls. But, when a squad of teenagers bring promises of peace, cooperation and understanding, what choice do they have but to accept? Can Squad Levi uncover all the mysteries that the outsiders bring with them, broken wings and all?
1. Present Yourselves

**Take These Broken Wings**

**A/N: Hey, hi, hello! This is my first Attack On Titan work and I really hope you enjoy it. I was really intrigued with the mystery of what lies beyond the walls and so, I mused about what could be. Then, this came out of it! Please, reviews are very much appreciated!**

* * *

**1\. Present Yourselves**

* * *

A shining, confident grin beamed towards the double barrel aimed at him. "Bet you 100 gold coins you're about to put that gun down."

"Ha, I'll take that bet," Jean Kirstein spat out.

"At ease, Jean," the Captain called out from behind, his shotgun resting on his shoulder casually. "Well, well. When Erwin told me that he received a letter from you, I was skeptical about it all. But it's really you, isn't it?"

"You have no faith in me, big brother–"

The butt of Levi's shotgun made contact with the young man's stomach, which cut him short of his sentence. The young man bent over, let out one hacking cough and fell onto his knees. Levi then had the collar of the young man's white shirt balled into his fist.

"I thought you were dead. I mourned you, you piece of shit. Don't even think that you can downplay that for a second," he snapped. Levi's eyes were narrowed dangerously before he let go of the young man quite forcibly.

"Right. Apologies, big brother," the young man murmured weakly as he struggled to get up.

"Better be," Levi murmured before turning on his heel, "Come on, we're escorting this brat here back to the cottage."

"Great, the rest of Squad Levi. I wonder if they're going to be as commendable as Jean over here. No harm done, Jean, you're a solid soldier," the young man proclaimed before patting Jean's arm lightly with the back of his hand. Jean's eyes were steely and his jaw was tense, distrust oozing off of him and into the air.

"Who is this joke?" Jean asked, not daring to relax the hold on his double barrel shotgun.

"Oh, did I forget to introduce myself? I'm–"

A scream cut his sentence short once again. It sounded like it belonged to a child, maybe a young adolescent. The young man quickly stiffened, his confident demeanour disappearing immediately. His blue eyes glazed over with an emotionless sheet of ice.

Without saying anything else, the young man bounded in the direction where the scream came from. Levi clicked his tongue in distaste before he began to follow him, instructing Jean to do the same. The young man was fast but loud and hasty. He forged a trail amongst the forest foliage. It wasn't until a bumbling stream could be heard that the young man decided to stop.

There was an adolescent boy that was kept on his knees. He was struggling against the bounds on his wrists. Sasha Braus kept her bow and arrow aimed at the childish preteen, her face contorted into worry. When the boy's eyes landed on the young man, his face brightened to reveal a toothy grin, albeit with a few teeth missing.

"Hey, big brother! Tell her that I mean no harm and that I was sincerely trying to find a beehive because we ran out of honey at home and I want honey lemon tea! Big brother!"

"Really? If that were the case, why would you be this close to the mountains?" the young man asked before putting a hand on his hip.

"Well, you know how the whole thing goes about bears leading you to honey. I saw a bear and decided to follow it and I ended up following it all the way here! Let me tell you how disappointed I was to find that it didn't lead me to honey."

An aggravated sigh came from the young man. "How disappointed were you?"

"Unimaginably so! I spent half a day following a bear and all it led me to was an abnormal amount of blueberries! Blueberries, big brother! I don't want blueberry tea, I want honey lemon tea!" the boy cried as he shook his head back and forth, feigning a temper a tantrum, "Now, I need to find honey before sunset or else big sister will get mad at me again. In order to do that, I need to find a much more promising way to find honey!"

"So, where does the highly unauthorized use of the 3DMG gear come in?"

The young boy stopped thrashing about. His sparkling onyx eyes widened in exaggerated disbelief. "I am offended, big brother! Absolutely offended! Would you rather me follow the bear without a sure-fire way to escape, in case he were to catch on and attack me? The 3DMG not only made for quick tracking and searching but it eased my conscious about leaving the estate alone. The more I thought about it, the more it simply made sense. Now, can someone give the go ahead for my release? I'd really like to continue my search for honey."

"Do you know this little brat? You'd think his tongue would fall off from all that talking," Levi asked with a deadpan expression.

"Yeah. He's a member of my squad. A military trainee named Serpiente Del Oceano," the young man murmured, his voice laced with a bit of embarrassment. His eyes were on the young boy, his thumb resting just on the bottom of his chin.

"In that case, Sasha, you can let him go." Levi's face was as deadpan as ever, though there was something in the tone of his voice. A hint of amusement, maybe?

"Great! You know I'm really excited to meet all of you since you're probably the squad that my big brother talks about all the time. Especially you, Mister Levi. But there's a time and a place for that. Sorry about barging in on your patrol, Miss Sasha," Serpiente exclaimed cheerfully, wiggling his torso for a moment.

"R-Right," the young woman muttered. She then lowered her bow and arrow, moving towards the exuberant boy cautiously. Serpiente's warm and ecstatic grin didn't waver. She quickly untied the ropes, completely wordless, then stepped back from him. Her silence didn't deter the young boy. He bounced up and grinned warmly towards the young woman.

"Thank you, Miss Sasha! I mean, out of all the things that you could have done to take me hostage, I'm glad that you only chose to bind my wrists," Serpiente proclaimed as cheerily as he had before, "Now, I got to find honey! I promise not to come close to the mountains again, especially since that's the treatment that I'll get. Don't worry; I completely understand why you guys are doing patrols in such a way."

He was waving happily as he tried to walk away. There was something hasty in the way he followed the stream. Before a firm hand grabbed the back of his collar, the young child was ready to jump into a sprint. He let out a yelp and struggled against the hold.

"Do you take us as idiots?" Levi asked with a raised eyebrow, his grip on Serpiente's shirt unwavering.

"Well, it highly depends on what you consider an idiot."

"Serpiente–"

"It's not like I was meaning to spy!" Serpiente cried suddenly, shaking his head vigorously, "Zola told me that she'd have my head if I didn't do it and I'd be locked in the basement! I don't want to be locked in the basement! It's cold and damp and stony and dark and the villagers were telling me about how the manor was haunted. Big brother, I didn't want to be Zola's prisoner!"

"Why would you spy on your captain?" Levi asked with his voice still as deadpan as before. However, there was a hint of curiosity and perhaps even amusement laced into his tone.

"There was no evidence suggesting that you, Mister Levi, wouldn't hurt big brother if you didn't trust him. And, given the stories, you make for an intimidating figure. If something were to happen to big brother during this rendezvous, I was supposed to report back to Zola as fast as I could. It's not that she doesn't trust our captain, she doesn't trust you, Mister Levi," Serpiente explained hastily. A nervous chuckle bubbled out of the boy's lips.

Once again, the boy attempted to struggle against Levi's hold. He kicked and thrashed, reaching out for something that wasn't there. However, it was no doubt that Levi was stronger than him.

"Why not send someone more capable? I know you're fast but you're not the fastest. Or the strongest. Or even the most capable at the 3DMG. Why you?" the young man asked with his arms crossed. His lips were pursed in thought.

Serpiente let out another nervous laugh and chirped, "If I were to get caught, Zola said that my youth and enthusiasm would appeal to your better nature. Basically, out of the squad, I'm the most likable."

"Well, he's not wrong," Jean muttered lightheartedly. At the comment, Serpiente beamed brightly, his nervousness ebbing a bit.

"Regardless of if we like you or not, you're a trespasser and you're coming with us until we're done our rendezvous," Levi proclaimed as he began to drag the young boy towards their cottage. Serpiente let out a wail, similar to a distressed puppy.

"You ought to stop that habit, by the way," the young man said to Serpiente. With an audible gulp and a wary smile, the young boy looked towards his captain.

"What do you mean, big brother?"

"When you're hiding something, you pick up your sister's speaking tic. Addressing everyone with honorifics and such," the young man explained, waving his hand dismissively. Serpiente pouted and stopped resisting Levi, allowing the captain to drag him wherever he pleased.

Sasha and Jean walked behind the young man, with Levi and Serpiente leading the group. The young woman still looked incredibly uneasy, but she didn't have her arrow drawn. She leaned in towards Jean with her eyes on the young man's back. "Who are these people?"

"I have no idea. That older guy calls the Captain 'big brother' but he hasn't told us his name yet," Jean muttered underneath his breath, "I have a feeling it's those people."

"Ha, it looks like I forgot to introduce myself again," the young man suddenly exclaimed, his right hand resting at the nape of his neck. It was clear that he was amused as he proclaimed, "I'm Friedrich, but you may know me as John Christopher."

* * *

"Have you ever heard of a man named John Christopher?" Levi asked before drinking some of his black tea. His eyes didn't meet any of the others.

"John Christopher? I think I've heard that name flying around before," Jean muttered thoughtfully.

Squad Levi all sat around the table, being called to gather without knowing the reason. Despite being teenagers, their faces were dark and spoke of tragedies and terrors. It wasn't hard to get accustomed to such a bleak atmosphere, though it was always going to be uncomfortable.

"John was a Survey Corps member. He graduated 2nd out of the 99th Training Squad. He was originally from Trost district. At first, he was a friend of a friend. But, by the time of his untimely death, he was one of my closest comrades. He was reported as MIA on his first mission outside the Walls in 845 because they couldn't find a corpse. However, knowing the structure of reports, I was certain he was dead," Levi told the group before letting out a sigh, "That was five years ago. Almost two months ago, we received a messenger hawk, something highly unorthodox. It carried a lengthy letter explaining that there was civilization outside the walls..."

The group tensed. Memories of traitorous comrades and broken promises flooded their mind. It was their only contact with people outside of the wall. It didn't necessarily make for a good impression.

"And not just one community. There's a whole web of villages, towns and nomadic groups outside the walls. There are miners who have metals stronger than ours. There are scholars that do nothing but record the events of what's going on around them. There are hunters that kill Titans religiously and even sailors that live on a large body of water called an 'ocean'... and there are the warriors that we are all too familiar with," Levi explained.

"Sailors? There are people who've seen the ocean?" Armin asked hopefully then paused to fully process everything, "This letter... what was it meant for?"

"People outside the walls want to be inside. The letter was signed by John Christopher. Five years ago, the young soldier was found by villagers on the brink of death. They brought him back to the village to nurse him back to health, and with nothing to go on about outside the walls, Christopher decided to stay in the village. Recent developments in technology allowed him to map out the terrain more effectively than before and he finally was able to find his way back to the walls. Christopher wants to share this technology with the Survey Corps, created by a member of the team he assembled. Not only that, they have the capability to be based outside the walls and can act as part of the Survey Corps."

"They must want something in return," Jean bartered, his arms crossed and his posture rigid.

"They do not require money. The village the team originates from does not run on any type of cash economy. They require functional and updated 3DMG but that was all they requested from us. Christopher was always a loyal figure... I don't see anything beyond his old pledge of service driving him. As for his team, he stated that he trusted them all with his life and they're all willing to give their lives up for humanity."

"Were all the names of his team disclosed in the letter?" Armin asked softly, his caution overriding his curiosity, "What did Commander Erwin decide?"

"He ultimately decided to let them in. He kept them in hiding, allowing them to have civilian papers for the last month. It was just shitty timing, so he couldn't allow anyone to know of his decision. Now that the fire's died down, we can make our decision about the team Erwin's dubbed 'Squad Pax', for the village that they originate from. We've been selected as the team that'll test out this new technology and decide whether it's a worthy investment. As for the names... hell if I know."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, processing all the information that was laid out for them. Peaceful outsiders being led by a former soldier. It was a ludicrous scenario, with little to no chance of actually occurring. Yet, here it was. Staring them straight in the face and daring the teenagers not to believe it.

"I've wanted to see John Christopher for quite some time. There are things I've needed to say to him that I haven't got the chance to. As captain, I accepted the offer. The rendezvous with Christopher will happen here at 1700 hours, during our regular evening patrols," Levi proclaimed definitively, finally taking another sip of his tea, "Kirstein, Braus, you're on those shifts. If anything should happen, report to me immediately."

"Yes, sir," both teenagers responded.

"Alright. All of you, dismissed."

As the teenagers attempted to shuffle into some sort of routine, Levi continued to sit at the table. He stared at his cup, at the slightly warped reflection that the black tea gave off.

_"Hey, big brother, you hold your cup differently. Why is that?"_

There was a lot he had to say to the young man. First off, he had to mouth off to him that his last words to him in 845 were "look, technically, you've only been in the Survey Corps for a year so that's no reason to go on about the whole 'I'm your senior' bit; I'll be fine, big brother".

_"Did I say it was _weird_? No! I only said it was different. Sheesh, you're as cynical as an old man."_

Secondly, Levi had to tell him that he missed him.


	2. The Cottage Table

**Take These Broken Wings**

* * *

**2\. The Cottage Table**

* * *

The most noticeable thing about Friedrich was his noble posture. He held his chin high and his back was always upright. He didn't fidget or fiddle. Despite being relaxed, he still maintained a high sense of professionalism. He refused Levi's offer of tea and instead opted for cold water.

"Oh, oh! Would I be able to have honey lemon tea?" Serpiente asked, raising his hand into the air childishly. Unlike his captain, Serpiente retained a hopeful, childish and extremely comfortable charm about him. It was clear he was abuzz with excitement. Levi's sharp eyes attempted to piece a hole into the boy's exuberance. "Well... it's not like I was lying when I said I wanted honey lemon tea. It's one of my favourite things to drink."

"Best to give the boy some, big brother," Friedrich murmured, "He'll calm down enough for me to explain things."

"What? It's not like I'm high strung!" Serpiente exclaimed defensively. He childishly harrumphed and crossed his arms. "I am also perfectly calm. Perfectly and utterly. I am the exact definition of calm. Just because I talk a lot does not mean I am incapable of being calm."

When the warm, steaming cup of tea was placed in front of him, Serpiente's demeanour shifted. He thanked Historia for bringing him the tea. And that was it, he said no more. Instead, he simply hummed as he sipped on the sweet tea. His round, dark eyes still shone with excitement and curiosity and he was still rather expressive. But, Friedrich was right. Serpiente didn't interject conversations with his own thoughts. He was calm enough for the captain to start explaining.

Friedrich was clearly amused but had said nothing on how Serpiente acted. He looked towards Squad Levi with a friendly, although crooked, smile.

"To explain myself a little better, my birth name is Friedrich. I took on the name John Christopher when I joined the military as a way of protecting myself. Looking back, I regret not telling anyone my real name. It was a terrible mistake. So, call me as you like, but I'd really prefer you calling me Friedrich," the young man explained, speaking in a clipped, formal manner.

"Five years ago, I was on the expedition to retake land outside of the walls and secure a base. I was part of the baiting squad. First, I saw the leader of my squad torn into two then devoured. The rest of my squad did, as well, and they were shaken. But, we had a goal to complete. If we didn't draw as many Titans as we could away from the main group, the chance of success dwindled exponentially. I knew this and maybe it was past experiences that helped me get over myself. I was the one who led my squad towards the right goal but the accomplishment was short-lived. One by one, the rest of my squad began to die. I was close to death, as well, what with my damaged gear and broken left wrist. So close... that I thought it the best idea to see as much beyond the walls before I close my eyes for a final time. I ran and ran, pushing myself closer and closer to death. By the time I passed out of exhaustion, I managed to break two of my ribs, dislocate my shoulder and severely tore ligaments in my right ankle. I was sure I was going to die. But then... I woke up. The first person I saw outside of the walls wasn't some warrior of brute strength. It was a child; a child-nurse who took care of me as if she knew me for years. It turned out that village scouts had found my unconscious body and decided to help. They brought me to an underground village named Pax, a neutral community of scholars, monks and refugees from other communities. There, the people have learned that the best way to survive is by coming together, helping others as often as they are able to. I would love to say that all communities outside the walls are like Pax, but there's more danger out there than just Titans. If another community were to find me, I very well would've died all those years ago," Friedrich explained. His voice was affirmative but held softly in the air. It didn't hesitate or waver, but it was clear that he would rather be talking about something else.

"I would've come back sooner, much sooner. But, hardly anyone in the village knew of the walled population, much less how to get there. You see, I had run so far that I couldn't decipher how I ended up so close to the village from the walls. It wasn't until a teenager, most likely the same age as you, with a mind so brilliantly attuned to mechanics developed gear that could scope out large distances of land. I was finally able to map out the majority of terrain outside the walls, as well as locate the most influential communities. Unfortunately, when I finally was able to find Wall Maria, I found that it had been breached and that Titans were roaming freely inside. Most of humanity's population are inside the walls and to ignore the fact that I could do something about it… well, it'd make me no better than the people who broke the wall down." Friedrich took a sip of his water, allowing time for the others to absorb everything. Serpiente was still sipping his honey lemon tea, though he no longer hummed a happy tune. Instead, his eyes were brimming with sympathy towards Friedrich.

"What about this gear? That is the main reason you're here, correct?" Armin asked.

"Ah, yes. The teenager who created the gear is Vox Esposito, who's been studying mechanics and Titan-shifters since before I arrived in Pax. He's managed to find a way for certain humans to control lightweight mechanical wings in the same way a Titan-shifter controls their Titan body. The base of the spine is where the weak spot of Titans are, and it's where the Titan-shifter resides. The mechanical wings work in that they need to be connected to the spine, which hurts no more than a needle prick. However, the wings also use a blood signature to avoid the gear getting into the wrongs hands. Once the signature is taken, it will only respond to that certain blood signature, regardless of it's connected to the spinal cord. When I say certain humans, you have to be focused and driven. Concentrating is a must to use the wings. I have three people on my squad who are unable to use this type of gear, simply because their mentalities are unable to keep themselves focused for long periods of time," Friedrich stated, his posture changing. He seemed more at ease now that he wasn't talking about his first expedition.

"Oh, I'm one of those people," Serpiente chirped. Some of the teenagers looked over to him. The young boy simply shrugged. "I don't sleep well. Good sleep is key to good concentration. Unfortunately for me, I've never been able to sleep well so I've never been able to concentrate as great as others."

"Nonetheless, you've been dubbed as the greatest team in the Survey Corps. That must make you all focused, driven individuals. I see no problem in any of you operating Vox's gear. When do you think would be a good time to start training?" Friedrich added, his eyes fixated on Levi. The stoic man drank his tea in his own peculiar way, not meeting Friedrich's gaze.

"Tomorrow. Same time, 1700 hours. This time, I'll bring my squad to the manor. It shouldn't appear as anything more than a friendly get-together. We'll start the training and testing of the gear then," Levi proclaimed definitively. Friedrich nodded as compliance.

"What are all your names? I'm afraid I forgot to let you introduce yourselves," the young man said. He brought his hand to the nape of his neck, his smile turning a little sheepish.

"Armin Arlert."

"Jean Kirstein."

"Sasha Braus."

"Connie Springer."

"... Historia Reiss."

"Mikasa Ackerman."

"Eren Jaeger."

Friedrich faltered slightly, though his smile still shone. Nonetheless, he brought his hand down and dipped his head in a courteous manner. "It'll be an honour working with all of you. Big brother, a word, please?"

"What is it?"

"In private, big brother." The tone used in Friedrich's voice made Levi raise an eyebrow. So, he put down his cup and got up from the table. Although he didn't say anything, Friedrich followed the captain into another room.

"What do you think that was about?" Connie asked as soon as the door closed. Some of them muttered that they didn't know, but Serpiente retained his childlike demeanour and began to hum a song as he drank his tea.

"Hey, kid, what's your name again?" Jean asked. His tone was blunt and direct, with hardly any sense of friendliness.

"Serpiente Del Oceano."

"What do _you_ think that was about, hm, Serpiente?"

"Mm, you know, Friedrich has a lot of stories of a lot of people from inside the walls," Serpiente started, "From what I know, Friedrich and Levi have a lot of mutual connections. One of those connections is Friedrich's old best friend. I'm really excited to meet him. They had the strangest adventures and got into the most absurd fights. The two had other friends that they were always seen with back then. Whenever Friedrich would finish telling a story about him, he'd smile, shake his head and mutter, 'that cheeky bastard'. Maybe Friedrich is asking about that?"

"Do you know his name?" Eren asked. Serpiente nodded excitedly.

"It's a really unique name! Something I've never heard before. Auruo Bossard! Friedrich and Auruo met when they were trainees together. He told me that he came second out of his division when they graduated, with Auruo being first," Serpiente chirped.

Judging from the reaction that he got, Serpiente shrunk like a puppy with his tail between his legs. Eren's eyes saddened and the atmosphere turned somber. Serpiente's eyes widened and sparkled with realization. Usually, the meaning to such a drastic change in the air was death's doing. The young boy took a sip from his tea then looked towards the door that the two men disappeared into.

"... Oh."

When the silence became heavy and awkward, Serpiente began to shift uncomfortably. His bottom lip puckered out, helpless against it. Armin noticed the young boy's distress. Knowing how detrimental it was to linger, Armin let out a soft smile.

"What are you teammate's names? Is there anyone else as young as you?" he asked.

Serpiente's eyes brightened a little. "Vivian Ayres is the same age as me. She's a bird tamer, with two hawks and an owl underneath her belt. Vivian's hawk was the one who sent the letter to the Commander. The youngest next to us is Vox Esposito, the gear maker, and Mariposa Del Oceano, my big sister. She's a nurse. She also knows how to sail a ship, but it's been a while since she's been to the sea... There's Antony McCarthy and Zola Ayres. They're the combat trainers and gear specialists."

"Zola... isn't that the one that threatened to lock you in the basement?" Jean asked, finally a playfulness edging onto his voice. Serpiente let out a nervous laugh.

"Aha... yeah. She can be intense and mean, but she's really smart. I guess, she cares, too, just differently. Zola is also Vivian's big sister. Antony is our cook. He's a cool guy but a really intimidating fighter," Serpiente said, his exuberance slowly returning to his stature, "Tacita Vukovic is Friedrich's second-in-command. She also has military training, although it's different from Friedrich's. She was raised in 'The Homeland', a place where scary warriors and dangerous leaders are raised. That's also where most of the Titan-shifters come from. Tacita was kicked out because she wouldn't fight the way they wanted her to. Tacita is like a sweet, gentle giant."

"What brought you inside the walls?" Armin asked, sounding confused, "You have access to the whole world. Why are you willingly restricting yourself?"

"My big sister would have a better answer for you. She words it really nicely. But I think of it like this... freedom shouldn't be something that you're born into. My sister and I... Vivian, Zola and Antony... we were all born into freedom, so we had no idea what it was like to be caged. All of you were born caged, just like Friedrich, Tacita and Vox. That's not right. We should all be born free. So, we're going to fight for freedom. Not for us, but for you guys," Serpiente explained slowly, chewing over his words as if they were tough and gamy.

"That's valiant of you," Armin commented. The young boy furrowed his brow and tilted his head to the side. His confusion might have well been written on his face.

"Valiant?"

"Yes, valiant. It's when you show courage and determination, kind of like being brave or noble," Armin explained. His tone was helpful and kind. Serpiente grinned brightly, looking the part of an unscathed, childish mind.

"Valiant. I like the word," he proclaimed.

The small exchange made Armin realize that indeed, Serpiente was still a child. An exuberant, thoughtful and spirited child, but a child, nonetheless. He might've been the same age that other children start military training. He might've been more talented than them, considering how far he managed before getting caught by Levi and Friedrich. But ultimately, Serpiente was still a child.

"Historia, is something wrong?" Mikasa asked. Her voice was smooth, like a cool stream effortlessly gliding over a rocky bed. Her eyes rested on the smaller blonde. Historia was stoic, her eyes shady and brewing a storm.

"He looks familiar," she murmured. She didn't say anything else, though it looked like she wanted to. Her troubled appearance sparked an innocent curiosity in Serpiente. He shifted his chair so that he was closer to the table. His arms were outstretched, his hand motions matching his friendliness.

"What did you say your last name was, again, Historia?" Serpiente asked. His chirpy voice made her look up and the storm in her blue eyes subsided.

"Reiss."

"Reiss. Historia Reiss. People say there's a lot to a name. Sometimes, a name triggers a brutal massacre and other times, a name sparks a sudden need to bow and show respect. You have a really powerful name, Historia. It sounds... regal," Serpiente told the young woman, then paused and crinkled his nose, "Ah, I had a point with this. Mm... I'm not sure where I'm going anymore. Nonetheless, Friedrich has a powerful name, too. Maybe that's why he seems familiar?"

The child scratched the top of his head, as if he could rake his head to find the point that he had missed. He let out a sheepish laugh. His warm grin showcased two missing teeth, one on the lower right and the other on the top far left.

Historia let out a ghost of a smile. It was clear that she wasn't convinced, however. Friedrich just seemed incredibly familiar. His eyes mirrored her own, but there were hundreds of people with the same shade of blue eyes. That couldn't mean anything. Couldn't it?

"Do you think I'm ever going to get used to calling you Friedrich?" Levi asked as he opened the door. His steely eyes looked up towards Friedrich, who let out a sheepish laugh.

"No, but it doesn't hurt to try and remind you."

"Mph," was the only reaction that came out of Levi as he sat down at the table. Friedrich didn't sit down and instead nodded towards Serpiente. The young boy exaggeratedly made a confused face, his eyebrow raising and his jaw dropping unattractively. Friedrich let out a sigh.

"Why you're my favourite trainee, I'll never know," the young man muttered.

"Probably because Vivian swears more than a pillaging pirate with a case of scurvy and she's the only other trainee so it's not like I have too much competition," Serpiente chirped casually, shrugging one shoulder.

The other squad looked at Serpiente as if he had grown another head. It took a moment for the young boy to process anything. He lit up brightly as realization hit him, similar to the way a firework lights up the night sky.

"Oh, right! You guys don't know what a pirate is!" he exclaimed, "Well, you see, a pirate is a terror amongst the seas. They were known for plundering unsuspecting merchant ships and stealing all their goods and treasure! They drank rum and ravaged women and had gross rotting teeth because they weren't being healthy. They were ruthless in tactics and spared no man! It was a bad day for sailors when the word 'pirate' catches in the sail's wind."

"They hardly even know what the sea is, Serpiente, and you expect them to understand what a pirate is?" Friedrich asked lightly, ruffling the young boy's hair as he walked past him. "Come on, we're going to be late."

"Tomorrow, they're going to know," Serpiente proclaimed then turned to the group of teenagers, "Tomorrow, you're going to know. It'll be great. I can show you all the books big sister brought with her and I can tell you all the stories that I've got memorized. I promise, tomorrow, you're going to get a glimpse of the outside world."

"Serpiente–"

"Okay, okay! Bye, Levi, Armin, Jean, Sasha, Connie, Historia, Mikasa and Eren!" he exclaimed in one breath before happily striding to the door. Friedrich looked towards the Squad and with his charming, crooked smile, he saluted the group. The others mirrored the salute.

"See you later, idiot."

"For another time, big brother," Friedrich said with a warm laugh then closed the door to the cottage hideout.


	3. Someone Beautiful

**Take These Broken Wings**

* * *

**3\. Someone Beautiful**

* * *

"What's going on over there?" Armin asked as his eyes peered over at the village square. There was a large group of people, all of them laughing and cheering with music laced amongst the whoops. Mikasa and Eren were with him, as it was their turn to gather supplies from the village. A few pink clouds still strung about the sky, refusing to be washed away by the rising sun.

"I'm not sure I really care. Captain's going to be pissed if we're late with the supplies," Eren proclaimed, "Besides, it's just a bunch of ignorant villagers."

"Come on, it'll just take a minute," Armin chirped as he walked towards the square. Mikasa was wordless but she followed him, regardless. Her eyes sparkled with a small hint of curiosity. After all, it has been a while since she's seen a happy energy.

Eren groaned as he followed his best friend. It's one thing to be curious, it's another thing to let it completely override everything else. Maybe it was the way things turned out for him, but too much curiosity was somewhat unappealing to him.

People were dancing and singing. They were enjoying themselves. Children spun in circles and the older people were stepping in accordance with the music. The ones who were too meek to join the circle clapped to the music, smiles donning their faces. However, there was one person who danced much livelier than the others. Her steps were in perfect timing and the smile on her face never wavered.

Her royal blue dress twirled and turned in time with her passionate steps. Sometimes, she let out an airy laugh as she danced. She must've been their age. Even though Armin was sure that he's never seen her before, there was something familiar in her eyes. As the music filled the air with a lively melody, the young woman managed to dance her way towards the trio. Her smile was sweet, if not a little enigmatic.

She had extended her hand out to Eren, wordlessly offering him to dance. Quickly, Eren shook his head. He didn't dance. He was a soldier, after all. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he didn't know how to dance. It was just that he didn't dance.

The young woman wasn't at all hindered. Instead, she offered her hand to Armin. When put on the spotlight, Armin was quick to get nervous. But the smile rang something familiar. So, although he was unsure if he could keep up, he took the young woman's hand. She quickly pulled him into the circle of dancing villagers.

They didn't speak much; she only gave him direction on how to take part in the dances. She guided him when they were together and didn't mind that Armin looked down at his feet most of the time. When they weren't dancing together, Armin did his best to remember what she told him about the steps.

"You're thinking too much! The steps are guidelines! You don't have to follow them," she laughed once their hands clasped together again. She asked him to feel the music. Armin nodded once and continued on, trying to follow her advice. But how does one feel something that was only sound? The more he thought about it, the more he thought he couldn't do it. Still, her hands led his into a flurry of fast-paced, light-hearted dance steps.

When the music finally slowed and the cheering grew louder, everyone began to bow to their partners. The young woman curtsied, tipping her head in the slightest. Armin did his best to imitate a gentleman's bow, with a hand behind his back and his feet kept together.

The young woman beamed at him, her onyx eyes twinkling like a faceted gem. "Your eyes remind me of the ocean."

"... Pardon me?"

"I-I-I mean, that's what I always imagined– the stories about the oceans are that it's blue, right? N-Not that I have a book about the ocean. O-Oh dear, not at all," she stammered, the twinkle in her eyes disappearing immediately. Her cheeks began to heat up as her hand motions became exaggerated and hasty. "U-Um. It was really nice to meet you. What I was trying to say that– your eyes, they're really something. I... I should go."

She turned on her heel and disappeared amongst the villagers instantly. Armin couldn't even give out a "wait!" in time. He was left to wonder what she meant. As the gathering began to disperse, Armin's brow furrowed when he returned to the duo.

"Is something wrong?" Mikasa asked.

Armin shook his head and looked back at the village square. The musicians providing the music were putting away their instruments, a few children scattered around them. Some children were still in the middle of the square, dancing with no music. The adults began to shuffle on with their day, the smiles on their faces the only tell-tale sign of the small celebration.

"No, I'm fine. That was something, wasn't it? It's been a long time since I've seen people dance just because," Armin asked, his voice retaining a cheerful tone. Mikasa nodded, accompanied with a small "mm". Eren shrugged once, then ushered the others to start gathering the supplies.

* * *

The young woman was in a mental panic. What if he found out? He was just a villager. If he were to find out, well, she could be reported to the Military Police! If that were to happen, their entire cover would be blown. They could all get prosecuted, labelled as criminals. She'd might have to see her family, including herself, hanged simply because she couldn't keep her mouth shut! She prayed with all her might that he didn't catch on and if he did, he'd keep quiet about it. How could she have been so reckless?

"Are you all right?" he asked her curiously as she approached the manor. She tried to smile amidst her anxiety, though it was harder than anticipated.

"I'm fine, you shouldn't worry," she responded, "I managed to get honey."

His smile was soft and endearing as he picked up the jar of honey from her basket. He let out a soft chuckle and placed it back neatly. "That should appease him for some time."

"Big sister's back! She's back! She's back!"

"Oh my god, yes. Yes, I see her. I don't need some goddamned brat yelling in my ear about something I can see with my own two eyes!"

There was a small pause.

"She's back, everyone! Big sister's back!" he yelled even louder.

"Come here, you little freak, I'm going to chop off your limbs and serve them in soup!" the woman yelled as she bounded after Serpiente, who already had a good start to begin with.

"What are we going to do with those two?" she muttered, mostly to herself. She shook her head disapprovingly, though the ghostly smile on her face told that she was rather amused.

"Those two are just being... those two. I'd honestly be shocked if one day, Zola was nice to Serpiente," Friedrich proclaimed. The young woman let out a warm laugh at the comment. The two continued towards the manor entrance, their steps keeping a rhythmic tune. Mariposa finally managed to subside her anxiety, a wistful expression on her face.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked again, his voice sounding a little more suspicious this time.

"Of course! I just... met very beautiful people today," she murmured, her tongue rolling on her words cautiously. Her smile gave a small hint to what she saw in those very beautiful people.

When Friedrich asked what they looked like, the young woman's smile grew even brighter. Her onyx eyes glimmered like an evening night sky. She began to describe a strong woman, with ebony black hair, pale skin and eyes as dark as hers. The strong woman didn't smile and in actuality, looked a little intimidating. But, Mariposa saw something beautiful. And the young woman couldn't help but to offer to dance with her friends in an effort to be closer to her.

Mariposa then began to describe the beautiful young man who was incredibly conscious of how he stepped and where he stepped. Where his arms landed on Mariposa and whether or not he was in time with the music. Still, he held a charm to his thoughtful antics. She enjoyed the way he danced, although it was dancing she wasn't used to. And she couldn't lose the sight of his eyes in her mind. They were what was most beautiful about him.

She was sure the other young man was beautiful in his own right, but she dismissively waved him off.

The two had taken the groceries that Mariposa bought out of her basket inside the large house. In the kitchen of the manor, Friedrich's team were busy preparing for the dinner. All of them, except for Zola and Serpiente, that is. Mariposa had begun to tidy up, although she thought it was already incredibly clean. Friedrich often spoke endearingly about Captain Levi's cleaning habits.

However, this time around, Friedrich didn't seem very endearing. His mind was somewhere else as he chopped the vegetables for the broth. No one else said anything about it. A wail came from outside, and Mariposa was almost certain it was Serpiente panicking about Zola.

"Is everything ready for this evening?" Mariposa asked when the young man was silent for far too long. Friedrich nodded slowly, his brow furrowed in the slightest. He looked troubled. "That's not a look from someone that's excited to see an old friend."

"Oh no, that's not it," Friedrich started. The young woman furrowed her brow slightly, as if a sour taste rested on her tongue. Friedrich licked his lips once, his face reflecting a strange sickening within his stomach. "There's a young woman on his team. Her name is Historia Reiss."

When the name hung in the air, Mariposa tried to search the curves of his face for a more meaningful explanation. "Is that what's bothering you?" she asked softly.

"I've never seen her before," he muttered, mostly to himself. It was obvious that it was bothering him greatly. "Where did she come from? Who is her mother? Her father? What of the rest of the family? Why have they allowed her into the military?"

"You're thinking too much into this," Mariposa whispered as she placed her hand into his. Her thumb rubbed over his skin reassuringly. "At least, be happy that she is a Reiss and has learned to fight."

Friedrich agreed absently, though his mind still dwelled. However, Mariposa easily took over the young man's job of chopping vegetables. She chopped away, her voice joining the others in a rucked song with awkward rhythm. The young man was left to ponder the coming events. He stayed at the kitchen table, sitting upright with his hands clasped together. His icy blue eyes were swirling with stormy colours.

It's almost impossible for a Reiss to leave past Wall Sina. Friedrich knew this far before he became John Christopher. After all, he was raised in Wall Sina. Historia looked to be a teenager, a few years younger than Friedrich himself. How was it that he never met her? He knew all of the Reiss family. Surely, he should've come across her at least once during that time. But, like Levi said, a lot has happened in five years. Some untold development on Levi's part would explain such an anomaly.

Friedrich let out a thoughtful, crooked smile. There were still many untold developments that needed explaining.

"Big brother."

Serpiente stood at the manor entrance, the door opened wide. His grin mirrored his exuberance, even though his breath came in small pants. He leaned on the doorframe, his arm slightly above his head.

"You're easier to read than a picture book. Which is saying something because I don't even have to read you to understand you. You should really step up your mysterious brooding," he chirped. Friedrich let out a smooth chuckle, his hands unclasping as he leaned against the back of the chair.

"Did you have a point with this?"

"Surprisingly, I do! Anyway, Historia's curious about you, too! She says you look familiar. Just thought I should let you know that," Serpiente proclaimed. He strode inside as if he was the lord of the manor. He didn't even close the door behind him.

Friedrich wrote the boy off, telling him that if he was going to act like he owned the place, he should clean it like it was his own. That quickly depleted his proud demeanour, a result of outrunning Zola and losing her interest. However, the boy's words stuck with the young man.

The Reiss family were royalty. Their names held such incredible power to them. And perhaps that's why Friedrich was digging himself a hole in which he couldn't get out of.


End file.
